In a cleanroom environment, such as in semiconductor manufacture, there is typically a raised floor supported on a concrete sub-floor. The sub-floor is usually characterized by `pop outs` or large circular holes for utility requirements. An exemplary cleanroom can have a 24" high raised-floor over a concrete sub-floor. The sub-floor can have a grid of 14" diameter holes or pop-outs on 24" spacing.
The installation of various semiconductor fabrication, inspection and process equipment in a cleanroom environment having a raised floor requires special consideration regarding the support of such equipment. Typically, such equipment is either too massive or too vibration sensitive to be placed directly on the lightweight raised floor. A structural support is required to "bridge" the floor height. The support must be a stiff, non-resonant structure having a high load capacity, thereby extending the rigidity of the concrete subfloor to the height of the raised cleanroom floor.
Supports, such as concrete blocks and welded steel frame structures have been used, but lack of portability, cost and the need to design a frame structure for each piece of supported equipment are among their drawbacks. Tripod leveling stands supporting a damped support plate have also been used to support the equipment.
Regardless of the support used, an opening is formed in the raised floor in order that the equipment foot can directly engage the support.
It is desirable that there be positioning flexibility in the structural supports to allow for alignment of the support directly underneath the equipment feet (point load). It is also desirable that the integrity of a "flow through" design in a cleanroom be maintained by maximizing any air flow between the cleanroom and the space defined by the raised floor and the sub-floor.
The invention embodies a rigid support tripod that satisfies the objectives of rigidity, non-resonance, flexibility and high load capacity. The tripod has a top plate that supports an equipment foot. The tripod is configured such that it can allow the equipment to be mounted in any configuration over the sub-floor, regardless of pop-out locations. The tripod is adjustable such that the top plate can be made co-planar with the surface of the raised floor. Further, the top plate is dimensioned such that it mates with the opening in the raised floor to maintain the rectangular grid pattern of the raised floor.
Broadly the invention comprises a tripod for equipment support. The tripod has damped adjustable legs. The top plate is moveable such that it can be positioned to match the opening formed in the raised floor.